Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen on Returning After 17 Years for Disney+’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Series
According to McGregor, the Star Wars prequels, which came many years after the original debuts, inspired him to appreciate their “mind-blowing” aspects while filming the trilogy. He began to desire a return to the franchise openly, and a meeting was arranged between him and Lucasfilm as a result.
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“They just said, ‘Look, we’ve read that you said you’d be happy to do it. We just want to know if you mean it or if you’re being polite because we’re thinking that it could be an option. But we want to know if you’re in or not.’ I said, ‘It’s absolutely true!'” he said, and by 2019, it was confirmed that he was wearing his Jedi robes for the series.
Meanwhile, Christensen’s return as Anakin was a debate that “carried on for quite some time,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy shared. She added the “strong opinions” of Star Wars fans and the high “level of scrutiny” made them constantly discuss if they were going to bring back the fallen Jedi.
The Star Wars team finally decided and pitched the idea to Christensen, who shared that he was “very excited to come back” to the role. “The whole experience was very surreal,” the actor said. “The first time that I saw Ewan as Obi-Wan again, that was a very special moment for me, and one that I’ll remember for a very, very long time.”
It was also announced that Christensen, who last played Anakin in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, was also joining the cast. For him, it was an opportunity to step back into a role that he felt very passionate about. “I’ve always been a fan of Obi-Wan and I just love the storyline,” he said. “I think it’s a really great part, and I think the fans are going to love it.”
The series will take place eight years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. McGregor and Christensen will be working together to bring the beloved character back to the screen.
“It was great fun to get back on a horse and wear the robes again,” said McGregor of his return. “It’s been a long time since I played Obi-Wan, but it felt very familiar.” And for Christensen, he’s just happy to see the fan’s reactions. “I can’t wait for people to see it,” he said. “It’s going to be really great.”
The series is set to premiere on Disney+ this May.
